Hopeless
by queer girl for queer rights
Summary: Ephram returns to Everwood in time for the Abotts' and Browns' most emotional challenge. Finding hope is hard when all you see is tragedy around you. Warning: Death of Character, Rape, and kidnapping. COMPLETE
1. ROSE

I don't own Everwood... I appologize in advance.

"Excuse me, sir, may I get through?"

"Huh?" Ephram looked up. "Oh, yes, of course." Ephram stood aside in the isle while the woman got settled into her seat before he sat back down.

"My name is Lucy," she said. "Have you ever been to Europe?"

"What? No, I, uh, I'm going mostly to be going somewhere."

Lucy looked at him. "You sound like I did when I was your age." Ephram glanced at her. "I left right after I graduated high school. My sister, may she rest in peace, had stolen my boyfriend of three years."

Ephram let out a shaky breath. "How'd it turn out?"

The middle-aged woman gave a short laugh. "Terrible. My stuff was stolen, I was broke within three weeks. I ended up back in my old bedroom in two months."

"Well, hopefully I'll last longer," Ephram said, pinching is lips together.

"Hopefully you won't." Ephram stared at her. "Listen I realized that family, friends, they are a part of you, whether you like it or not. And if you walk away from that… that's a part of yourself you can't get back."

Ephram sat, staring at his lap. He was going through a mental checklist to see if he was sure he wanted to leave when the pilot came on the speaker to make an announcement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I am afraid that there is a leak in the fuel tank and the plane will not be ready to fly until the leak has been fixed and we are okayed for flight." There were some groans and mutterings from the other passengers. "Because of the low number of available workmen, we are going to move you to flight 315 which will take off for London in an hour and a half. Please be sure you have all of your things as you exit the plane. Thank you."

"Well," Lucy said, grabbing her carry on. "Looks like we'll have more time to chat."

"Yeah," Ephram said.

* * *

"Nervous?" Lucy asked Ephram as they sat waiting for the plane. They were in line to be boarded onto the plane which was leaving in twenty minutes.

He sighed. "A little bit." Lucy patted his shoulder affectionately.

"Ticket and passport," the woman at the gate requested.

Ephram looked down at his ticket and inhaled slowly. He looked at Lucy. She smiled motherly.

"When you _do_ go to London," Lucy said, already knowing his decision. "Be sure to look me up. I'll be under the Lenore's in the phone book."

"Thanks," Ephram said, hunching his backpack higher on his shoulders. "Enjoy London."

"I will," Lucy said as Ephram hurried out of the airport.

* * *

"So what do you feel like," Andy asked his daughter. "Pasta or hamburgers?"

"Hamburgers, definitely."

"Of course. Should I expect different? This is America, after all. Fast- food nation of the world."

"Except that we don't have fast-food in Everwood," Delia remarked.

"I was trying to sound smart, don't ruin it."

"Dad, you're a doctor. You're already too smart."

"Really? Say that again."

"What? Why?"

"Just say it again."

"You're already too smart," Delia repeated.

"I'm sorry I didn't hear that. Can you say it a bit louder?"

"Dad!" Delia shrieked and giggled when they heard the door slam shut.

Ephram appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. Delia and Andy froze for a second.

"Ephram!" Delia recited, running up to him.

"Hey," Ephram bent to pick Delia up in a hug and spin her a bit.

"I knew it," she said when he let her go.

"Knew what?"

"That you would miss me and Dad so much that you'd come back." She nodded for emphasis.

Ephram turned to acknowledge his father.

"Glad to have you back," Andy said, slightly resigned.

"Delia, why don't you go watch TV for a bit," Ephram suggested. Delia scurried away before her father could say no to the TV idea.

"Ephram…" Andy started.

"No, Dad, wait." Ephram took a deep breath and let it out. "I owe you a big apology. I've been rude and selfish. I am still mad about the whole Madison thing, so I don't forgive you for that. But I have to figure my life out, what I want to do with my life… I can't do that without you."

Ephram stuck his hands in his pockets as he waited for his father's response.

Andy sighed. "Okay, but you need to work on your attitude and your mouth. You are an adult and you are going to act like one. But you are still my son, so you can help me out around the house too."

Ephram smiled and nodded. "That sounds fair." He looked around the kitchen. "How's Rose?"

Andy looked up. "She made it through surgery. Most of the tumor is removed, but only chemo will be able to remove the cancer cells that are on her spinal cord."

Ephram nodded, digesting the information. "I'm going to go over there."

"Ephram, do not push Amy on this. Be careful."

He nodded and started over to Amy's house.

* * *

Bright answered the door. "Hey, man! I thought, you know, London…"

"Yeah," Ephram came in and took off his jacket. "No, wasn't really ready."

"Cool. Oh, and by the way, me and Hannah."

"You and Hannah… Oh, that's awesome."

"Awesome? Freaking amazing. I mean, I've been with lots of girls, and I mean lots of girls…"

"Yeah, I know man."

"But with Hannah, it's real, you know."

"I'm happy for you. Is Amy in her room?"

"Yeah. Go on up."

Ephram climbed the stairs to Amy's room like he had so many times before. He tried to walk as quietly as he could when he passed Rose's bedroom. He knocked softly on the door.

"Dad," Amy responded to the knocking. "I'm not going to talk about Princeton with you right now."

Ephram walked in. "Hi."

"Ephram, right. Not Dad."

"What is this about Princeton?"

Amy sighed. "I'm not going."

"You're not going?"

"I want to help my mom."

"But, Amy, you shouldn't give up your future because of this."

"Okay," Amy sat up on the edge of her bed. Ephram could tell she was not happy. "One, I'm only taking a year off. And two, what right do you have to say something like that. You could have been a real musician. I mean a _real_ musician."

"Yeah," Ephram tried to defend himself. "But, I couldn't, I mean, I had just found out I was a father."

"And I just found out that my mother has cancer!" Amy shrieked at him, tears budding at her eyes. "My mother is dying!"

"No, Amy," Ephram had such sympathy in his voice. He knelt down in front of her "You don't know that."

"No," Amy brought her volume down. "But I figure you are either going to live or die tomorrow and my mother's chances are not 50-50 anymore." Amy let out a sob as Ephram pulled her into his arms.

"It's not fair," she whimpered into his chest.

Ephram rocked her for quite a while until she cried herself dry. Amy pulled away, wiping her dripping nose and wet face.

Ephram wiped away a tear on her chin. Closing his eyes he leaned in slowly and kissed Amy softly on the lips.

* * *

Harold readjusted the pillows for Rose.

"Thanks," she said.

"Do you need anything else?" He rubbed his thumb across her forehead.

She shook her head. They were both pretending not to hear their daughter grieving in the next room over. Rose groaned in pain.

"Are you alright?"

"I- Harold, something isn't right." She grabbed the side of her abdomen. "Harold, I think I need to go to the hospital."

Harold rushed around the bed but realized he was much to weary at this time of night to carry her down the stairs. "Bright!" He called in a panicked voice. Bright rushed in, soon followed by Amy and Ephram.

"We're going to the hospital," Harold announced. "Bright, carry your mother to the car. Ephram, can you carry her overnight bag by the door?"

Bright was already lifting his mother and carrying her out of the room, Amy rushing after to help him. Ephram was unnerved slightly by how Harold sounded panicked but acted on autopilot.

Ephram rushed out, grabbing the slightly heavy suitcase by the door and rushed out to the car. Bright buckled his mother into the front seat and sat in the back seat.

Ephram climbed in after Amy, but Amy wouldn't even look at him the whole way to the hospital. By the time they reached the hospital, Rose was either sleeping or unconscious.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Ephram asked Amy as they waited in the hallway outside the room Rose had been admitted to.

Amy looked at him with a tear streaked face. "Oh, God, Ephram, I am so scared." He put his arm around her. "I keep on visualizing all of these different scenarios where they tell me my mom is dead. Like we're making a movie and we're trying to shoot the most effective hospital scene, only this is real. And as hard as I try, I can't imagine what life without her would be like."

"They have some of the best doctors here," Ephram said. "And they are going to do everything they can."

"Yeah, well, what if that's not good enough?"

Ephram didn't have an answer. Harold and Dr. Chow stepped out of the room. The three teens stood up.

"She's going to be fine," Harold said.

"Well, what happened?" Amy addressed Dr. Chow, knowing her father won't give her a strait answer. "Is is she worse?"

"The important thing," her father intercepted. "Is that your mother is going to be fine."

"I'm not a child anymore. I have a right to know." Amy looked at Dr. Chow.

"Well," Dr. Chow began. "The cancer cells that were left in her body, although there are only a few, are attempting to spread. Now, they haven't succeeded yet, but unless we destroy them soon, she might not last more than a month or two."

Amy clasped her hands over her mouth; Bright turned at walked a couple of feet and walked back.

"But you're going to do something, right?" Ephram asked, since no one else would.

"Intensive chemotherapy. She could go in for another surgery to remove the remaining cells but she would be paralyzed below the waist, possibly from her neck down."

"Then we do the chemo, right?" Amy said, looking at her father.

"That is what we will most likely do," Dr. Chow said. "But the chemo will weaken her immune system, and a mere chest cold could be fatal."

Amy's eyes darted between her father and the doctor. She somehow made it to the chair before she passed out. She felt Ephram sit on one side and Bright on the other.

"This is a dream," Amy said to herself. "This is all just a dream." Amy turned at gave her brother a weak smile. "I'm going to wake up and mom will be cooking and singing and perfectly healthy and…"

Ephram glanced over at Bright uncomfortable. "Amy, look at me," he said. "You're going to make it through this." Amy smiled, shaking her head. She was definitely out of it. "Amy, this isn't a dream, this is real…"

"Stop it," Bright snapped at his friend. "Let her believe it's a dream if it gets her through the night." He put his hands over his face and screamed, but his hands muffled the sound. He stood up suddenly. He kicked the wall a couple of times, causing heads to turn. "I need some air," he said as he walked out the door.

Ephram was about to follow him when he noticed Amy had snapped out of her dream state at her brother's outburst.

"I'm so scared, Ephram," she cried. "We either kill her or paralyze her." She crumbled into his arms. "It's like some band aid God is ripping off. Only instead of all at once, it's like he's going as slowly as possible, to make it more painful."

Ephram let the tears he'd been holding in go too. Memories of his mother, of her death, flashed through his mind.

* * *

The phone rang at the Brown house.

"Who's there?" Andy asked to the air sleepily before realizing it was the phone. He picked up the receiver and looked at the clock. "'ello?"

"Andy… It's Harold."

"Yeah, and it's 3:37 in the morning."

"Rose is back in the hospital. I- can you come?"

Andy was awake now. "Sure, I'll be there as fast as I can."

* * *

Andy rushed in the hospital, looking for Harold.

"Andy," Harold called him over.

"What is it? What's going on?"

"The cancer cells are putting up a fight. Intensive chemo will shut off her immune system and surgery will paralyze her."

Andy was shocked. "Oh, my God."

"I feel so angry at God, and yet I pray to him for help…"

"Harold, I, I am so sorry. You were right. I shouldn't have done the surgery, not after a year of not practicing surgery…"

"Andy, I'm walking a fine line here and if you start blaming yourself, I will not be able to keep myself together like my kids need me to be."

Andy sighed and nodded.

"Dad?"

Andy turned and was surprised Ephram was here, but he remembered him going over to see Amy.

"Ephram," Andy said, walking over to his son.

Ephram met him halfway and threw his arms around his father's neck like he had when he was a child. He sobbed quietly as his shoulders shook. Andy held his son while neither of them could think of anything to say.

After a while, Ephram led his father to where he had been sitting. Amy was lying across three chairs, using Ephram's jacket as a pillow. Bright returned from outside and sat down without a word next to Amy's feet. Ephram took the seat next to Amy's head and Andy sat next to his son. And they all waited.

* * *

"You should go home," Harold appeared before the half- sleeping bunch. It was 6:45.

Amy and Bright started to protest.

"I'll call if anything changes."

Andy stepped up. "I'll drive them." Harold nodded at his friend. "Come on, kids."

Slowly, they made their way to the car. No one said anything or attempted at small talk. Andy drove to his house first since he had to drop Delia off at school and then they all went to the Abbott house.

Bright plunged face-first into the couch and Amy locked herself in her room and turned on rock music loud.

* * *

"Do you think I should do the chemo?" Rose asked her husband. It had been five days since she's been admitted and she has to make up her mind fast.

Her husband exhaled slowly. "Rose, I don't know. We shouldn't have to decide. We shouldn't even be in this place."

"Harold. This is not helping me. We have to look at the pros and cons."

"Okay."

"Okay. If I do the chemo, I won't be able to do much. I'll die at the first cold I catch. If I do the surgery, I'll live. I won't be able to use my legs. What are my chances if I do the surgery?"

"The doctor said that you have about a 50-50 chance of survival."

"And if I do the chemo?"

Harold picked up a stack of web printouts he brought and flipped though them and looking at the notes he made on them from listening to the doctors.

"6 weeks is 80. 8 is 60 and 12 is 50, should I keep going?"

"Harold don't get angry. Please, we have to make this decision and we have to make it together."

Harold sighed deeply and controlled himself.

"We could make the house wheelchair accessible, right? I've read somewhere that it's not too expensive to redo the kitchen for handicapped people, so that way I can still be active and have a hobby… What do you think, Harold?"

"If that is what you want, we'll do it."

"I love you, Harold," Rose said.

Harold grabbed her hand in his. "I love you too."

* * *

"Your mother is doing the surgery," Harold announced when he got home. "Tomorrow."

"That's good," Bright said. "Right?"

"But the survival rate is only 50..." Amy trailed off.

"You're mother knows the risks."

Andy stood up. "I'm not doing the surgery."

Harold took off his jacket. "I'm not mad at you."

"That's not the reason. It's just, with the odds being what they are, I don't want to be the surgeon if it doesn't… work."

"Thank you for watching the kids, Andy."

Andy took the hint and gathered his things to go. Ephram gave Amy a quick peck on the cheek before leaving with his father.

* * *

Bright let Hannah in the next morning.

"Hey," he gave a quick kiss on the lips. "What is all of this… stuff?"

He was referring to the random objects that Hannah was carrying.

Hannah blushed. "They're for good luck." Hannah sat down and started to explain each item's importance. "This is a friendship bracelet a girl in kindergarten gave me. I don't remember her but it's gotten me good grades on tests."

"I should've had one of those when I was in school."

"This is a shawl that I bought from this gypsy woman at this fare. The rest of this stuff is my Dad's stuff." Bright shifted though the stuff.

"Your dad wore suspenders?"

"Yes. So, are you nervous?"

"I'm scared."

He said it so simply that it caught Hannah off guard. Generally he denies feeling any emotion.

"I remember how scared I was… with my dad and all."

"So which one of these good luck charms did the trick?"

"My mom."

"Oh."

Amy came downstairs. "Hi Hannah."

"Hey," Hannah got up to give Amy a hug.

Amy walked over to the couch and embraced her brother. "I can't wait for this whole thing to be over with."

"We should go," Bright said.

The scurried into the car and Bright drove over to the hospital. Ephram was already there with his dad.

"Hey," Amy kissed him. "Has she gone into surgery yet?"

Andy spoke up. "No. She wants to talk with you before she goes in."

"I'll go first," Bright spoke up. Bright walked over to his mom's room.

"Hi, Mom."

"Hey, honey," Rose sounded happy to see him, but also somewhat weak.

"I'll leave you two alone," Harold left the room.

"Hey, honey," Rose said again.

Bright walked over and took his mother's hand in his. "Are you scared?"

"Yes."

Bright nodded, tears threatening to spill over.

"Oh, honey." Bright knelt down and laid he head on his mother's stomach while she stoke his hair. "I don't want you to worry about me. If I don't make it…" Bright looked up at her. "_If_ I don't make it, I want you to know I will always love you an Amy and I will always be proud of you."

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, baby."

Ephram left the room and let Amy in.

"Hey, baby," Rose said.

"Oh, Mom," Amy's voice was choking with tears. Amy climbed into the small hospital bed next to her mother. Rose held her daughter for a long time. She repeated what she said to Bright to Amy. Amy tried to remember the smell of her mother… just in case it was the last time.

"I love you," Amy said and left. Harold went in to say his goodbyes until they took her into surgery.

* * *

"I can't stand this waiting," Bright said. Hannah placed her hand on his knee and he covered her hand with his. "How long has it been?"

They've been playing this time game for a while. Hannah looked at her watch. "2 hours and 45 minutes."

* * *

"I have a bad feeling about this," Amy confessed to Ephram.

"You're mom's going to be fine," he assured her with a kiss.

* * *

Harold was marking 4 feet of the hospital hallway with is pacing. Andy had to stop looking at him to keep from getting dizzy.

"How long has it been?" Harold asked.

Andy looked at his watch again. "3 and a half hours."

* * *

The group was left in agony until it had been 5 hours since she had been admitted into surgery.

Everyone crowded around Dr. Chow.

"How is she?" Harold asked. "Can we go see her?"

Dr Chow looked at her clipboard to avoid the expectant stares. She faced Harold and the crowd finally.

"It was a long surgery and… I'm sorry. She didn't make it through the surgery. I'm sorry." Dr. Chow left to let them self-destruct.

* * *

There was a thirty second delay in the response of them all. Harold turned and walked down the hall, tears filling his eyes. Bright sat down in one of the waiting seats and collapsed into Hannah's caring arms.

Amy stood there breathing heavily, tears flowing freely.

"Amy?" Ephram stood in front of her. She wasn't responding, she just stood there, in shock. Amy turned in attempt to run away but she just ended up doubling over, struggling to breath. Ephram walked her over to the chairs a couple of seats away from her brother. He got her to cuddle in his arms but he wasn't sure if she realized he was even there.

* * *

Andy ran to catch up with Harold. He saw him set off his car alarm in the parking lock when he kicked and broke a headlight.

Andy ran up to his friend who could barely see strait. He grabbed Harold's car keys to turn off the alarm. All of a sudden everything was too quiet without it.

"If I didn't have kids, I'd drive this thing off a cliff."

"Harold, don't think like that."

"How am I supposed to be thinking?"

"Like a father."

Harold took several deep breaths and made his way to check on his children.


	2. AMY

This chapter may offend some people. It contains briefly described scene of RAPE. I will soon be changing the rating to M but that I will do after a few days so the story is more easily found. To read coninuing chapters, this story will be listed under the M rating.Thank you and please review.

Chapter 2

Ephram held Amy's hand while they waited for Harold to fill out some forms.

"I'm sorry," Ephram whispered. Amy nodded. Ephram took a deep breath and tried again. "Amy, I… I know that I've been really insensitive and what with Europe and all… The thing is that I'm here for you." Ephram looked Amy in the eye. "I love you. I'll do anything for you."

Amy looked down at her hands. "I love you too."

They looked up as Harold stood before them. "Let's go home," he said.

Ephram went over to the Abbots' for a couple of hours. He and Amy distracted themselves by watching a comedy but Amy felt guilty whenever she laughed.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Ephram said as he left.

* * *

The following morning, Amy woke up from a nightmare she couldn't remember. It was 7:30 in the morning. Amy suddenly grew antsy in the house her mother had shared with her. Amy had to get outside. Amy decided to leave a note so that her dad doesn't worry about her on top of everything he's going through.

Now fully dressed, Amy left the house without waking the other two occupants and walked to the park. It was about a fifteen minute walk is she walked at her pace. She took the time to let thoughts run through her mind, not controlling them. _Just let a thought come, don't avoid it, or make excuses for it, and then let that one go and welcome the next._ Her mother said that.

Amy was soon seated at a park bench. She fingered the necklace that Ephram had given her. The sky would normally be fairly well lit at this time in morning but dark rain clouds filled the sky, bringing about a gloomy feeling.

Amy looked up and eyed a tall figure that was approaching her. Amy cautiously stood from her bench and started to walk in the opposite direction, hoping that she was just overreacting. Amy snuck a glance behind her and saw that he was within eight feet from her. Amy's breath caught and she started to run. So did he.

_No, no, no_ Amy panicked to herself. _This could not be happening. Not after what happened yesterday._ Amy sprinted but she couldn't out fun him. Finally she was toppled to the ground, his weight heavy on her. She shrieked and squirmed but his force was strong. He eased himself up but he maintained a strong grip on her shoulders. He dragged her wreathing form into a more shadowed area.

"No!"Amy yelled with all of her might. "Stop it!"

"Shut up," her attacker growled and backhanded her across the face. The force of his slap knocked her to the ground. He took advantage of this and straddled her. Amy cried as her clothes were torn from her. She squeezed her eyes tight when he unzipped his pants. His pants were disgusting as was his beer breath.

Amy tried to disconnect her body from her mind like they do in the books she read. But she felt every moment of her rape. _The thing is that I'm here for you. I love you. I'll do anything for you._ Amy closed her eyes and tried with all of her might to conjure Ephram's face in her mind but her rapist's hands on her breasts made this impossible.

When gathered enough energy to try to put up another struggle, her rapist reached over and smashed a good sized rock into the side of her head. Then the world went black.

* * *

"Ephram!" Andy called as the boy ran for the door.

Ephram groaned. "I'm going over to Amy's!"

"I know, I just want to talk to you shortly before you go over."

Ephram's shoulders sagged and he slouched into a kitchen chair.

"I understand that you want to be Amy's knight in shining armor, but she is most likely going to reject your attempts." Ephram sat in silence. "After your mother died, you'd barely even say hello."

"Yeah, ok." Ephram tried to hurry his father along. "So do you have any tactics?"

"There's not much you can do it she wants to be silent. But if she's willing to talk, generally expect yelling, and…"

"Dad, I think I can handle her."

Andy shut his mouth and nodded. "Right. Tell Harold I said hi."

"Gotcha, bye," Ephram said as he rushed out the door.

* * *

"Hey," Bright answered the door.

"Hey."

"You haven't seen Amy have you?"

Ephram tilted his head at his friend in confusion. "Nooo… she's not here?"

Bright let Ephram inside. "No," he said closing the door. "She left a note, though."

Bright handed him the note.

_Dad-_

_Don't worry, I had to get out of the house for a bit. Went for a walk in the park. I'll be back in an hour._

_-Amy_

"Okay?" Ephram looked up quizzically. He didn't see the problem.

"Dude, look at the time on the note," Bright instructed his friend. Ephram looked.

"7:30…" Ephram looked at the clock. It read 11:45. "She should definitely be back by now. Did you tell your dad?"

"Yeah, he's checking around town. I was just heading over to check the park when you came by."

"Let's go." And the two boys set out to find Amy.

* * *

"Dude, this park is huge," Bright commented. "You don't realize something like that until you're looking for someone."

By now, there were a few families around but not many. No one either of them knew so it didn't feel appropriate to ask.

"I'm gonna check over there," Ephram pointed over to a shady area they haven't investigated yet. Bright nodded at him and stood on a bench to overlook more of the park.

Leaves crunched under Ephram's boots as he stepped out of the line of sunshine. The change in light made seeing difficult. When his eyes finally adjusted, he felt his heart shred into pieces. With a deep intake of air, he bellowed, "BRIGHT!" Soon his friend charged to a stop beside him. After a second of delay, they both ran to Amy.

"Oh, no… no no no no," Bright was whispering. Taking in his sisters half nudity. Speaking was now an incapability for Ephram. Half of him was crumbling and the other half shriveled with pure white rage.

"Amy!" Bright desperately tried to rouse his sister.

Bright didn't care about his ego as he let out a pure hearted wailing sob. Ephram was together enough to take his to fingers to the place under her jaw line. "She still has a pulse," he was assuring himself more than his friend.

Ephram couldn't handle how vulnerable she was to their eyes. He repositioned himself so that he could cover her up. When he realized that her shirt and jacked had been cut and ripped down the front and he couldn't bring the ends to stay together, he struggle to keep it together.

"Give me your jacket," Ephram insisted since he didn't have one to offer. Bright quickly complied and whipped off his jacket. Bright whipped out his cell phone and called his father. He had to turn away because he couldn't stand watching as his best friend pulled his baby sister's pants up on her.

"Hello," his hopeful father's voice sounded in his ear. Bright's bottom lip trembled.

"D-d-dad."

Harold was on full alert at the sound of the tears in his son's voice. "What? Did you find her? Is she okay?"

At the sound of his father's voice, he could barely talk, he was crying so hard. "W-we found her… she, I…." Ephram stood and eased the phone out of his friend's hand.

"She was raped," Ephram spit out before he too chocked himself with his tears.

There was silence on the other line. Harold assumed, hoped, prayed that he misheard the boy. "What?"

"She was _raped_!" Ephram shouted.

Ephram waited for a while, wondering if Harold had hung up on him, but then he could hear the sobbing. He faintly heard his own father's voice, asking what was happening.

Andy came on the phone. "Ephram, just tell us where you are."

* * *

"Will you please drive faster?" Harold shouted at Andy.

"I'm going as fast as I can while still being safe."

"Safe? Safe? You're kidding me right? Andy I don't give a damn about your or my life right now! My daughter needs me!"

Andy swallowed hard at his friend's outburst. Harold never got like this. Andy kept his eyes on the road and stepped up on the accelerator.

* * *

The car pulled up ten minutes after Andy hung up. Bright was carrying a limp Amy in his arms.

"Oh, my _God_," Harold rushed out of the car. Harold stopped a foot from her, drooping in the protective arms of her brother. "My baby" he whispered as he ran his fingers across the scabby bruise on her head. "Is she…" Harold looked into his son's eyes, unable to complete the question.

"Faint pulse. I just hope that she was unconscious when it happened." _Although I doubt it_, Bright added silently to himself.

Harold helped ease Amy into the backseat. Bright and Ephram took seats by the door, and Amy leaned her weight into Ephram's shoulder. The drive to the hospital seemed to drag on for days. Yesterday's hospital run seemed like it was weeks ago.

* * *

"Paging Dr. Sanders, paging Dr. Sanders."

Ephram slowly realized he had fallen asleep.

"Hey," Andy said when Ephram shifted. It took a couple of seconds but soon everything was coming back to him.

"Oh, God," Ephram shifted to a sitting position and then put his head between his knees to keep from throwing up.

Andy waited for Ephram to come up but he seemed to just settle into position, staring beadily at the tiled floor.

"How long have I been asleep?" he asked the floor.

"An hour and a half."

"How is she?"

"She's fine. She's sleeping now."

"Can I go see her?"

"Yes."

Ephram stood and walked to the room he was sitting outside of, not daring to look at his father.

"Hey man."

Bright looked up. "Hey." He stood up to leave Ephram with Amy. "Don't take too long."

"I won't."

When Bright left the room and left the door open a crack, Ephram took a seat at the chair Bright was occupying.

"Hey," he said. "How's it going?" He looked at Amy expectantly, wishing she'd shift or something like they do in the movies. He took her hand in his. "I love you, and I am _so_… _sorry_…" He decided stop talking before he started to cry.

Ephram slouched in the chair absent-mindedly rubbing Amy's arm. After a couple of minutes, Amy gave a shudder. Ephram leaned forward, excited.

"Amy?"

But Amy was dreaming. Her head rolled slightly from side to side. Soon, soft little whimpers, filled with desperation and fear, escaped her lips. She was reliving the rape.

Ephram tried to coax her out of it. "Amy, Amy, It's okay. You're safe. I'm hear. It's me, Ephram…"

Amy was non responsive. Well that wasn't completely true. She swatted away his hand on her arm. Ephram recoiled, grabbing his arm and staring at it as though it was the one to rip her clothes off her.

Andy and Bright looked up as Ephram stumbled hastily out of the room, slightly out of breath. Andy was concerned and confused at Ephram's dazed look. Bright understood what was happening. This was exactly what happened to him at her first dream of the afternoon.

"I'll watch her," Bright said. "You need some air. There's a nice flower garden with a fountain if you go out that door," Bright instructed Ephram out of the room.

Andy looked at Bright. "She had another dream," he said, before entering his sister's room again. Andy nodded, his lips forming a thin line.

* * *

"Ephram?" Ephram was jolted out of his raging thoughts at the sound of a young female's voice. He looked over and sighed.

"Oh, hi Hannah."

"Bright sent me."

Ephram scooted over on his bench to let Hannah sit down. Hannah didn't ask any questions or say anything, to Ephram's relief. He just wanted some quiet to sort out his thoughts.

He ran his hand roughly on his jeans in frustration. Hannah didn't bother him when he let a few tears roll silently down his cheek as he stared straight ahead. They sat there in silence for a good half hour.

"I feel so selfish," Ephram said finally.

Hannah looked at him like he was nuts. "What?"

"Like, the Abbots, they lost Rose and Amy was… Here _I_ am feeling sorry for _myself_." Ephram looked at Hannah. "I mean, I'm not even _thinking_ about what Bright and Harold are going through," he gestured with his arm as though indicating them through the walls. "Or Amy."

Hannah stared at him with her mouth slightly open. She snapped it shut and turned to face front. "You act like you're some outsider."

Ephram looked at her.

"For God sakes, Ephram, you're a part of that family. You're hurting nearly as much as they are."

He looked as if he'd been slapped. He sighed deeply. "How are you taking it?"

Hannah shoved her hands deep in her pockets and stood up. "Like shit. Let's go check on them."

* * *

Hannah and Ephram walked in to find Andy, Harold and Bright listening to a doctor.

"-stable and she will be released today. We have two officers in with her now to get a description of what happened before her she forgets any little details. I will administer some medication for any pain, but use only when needed. I will give you a tranquilizer that you only, Harold, can give her. Give her that if she has a panic attack or you feel it is absolutely necessary, but not if she has a flash back or is stressed, because it is simply too strong."

Harold walked with the doctor to ask him further questions about taking care of Amy.

"So they're letting her go home," Hannah said. "That's great."

"Yeah," Bright said.

Two police officers emerged from Amy's room. Without noticing the teenager's presence, the male officer asked his partner, "So, you thinkin' it's the same guy?"

"Either that or a copycat. But to think that he'd travel a thousand miles?"

"He could've flown. He knew we were onto him…" and they couldn't hear anymore of the conversation as the officers turned the corner.

Ephram looked to Bright. "I don't even want to think about it," Bright said, voicing Ephram's thoughts.

* * *

Amy walked to the car, Bright and Harold on either side of her. She didn't say anything, and soon they all gave up on trying to get her to talk.

"Man," Bright pulled Ephram aside. "I think that you shouldn't come over today. I think that it's best, you know, family."

"I got it. I understand." Ephram slapped his friend on the back and squeezed his shoulder to show his care. "Call me if it gets too much."

"I will." Ephram watched them drive away, feeling useless.

"Hannah," Andy said. "You want us to give you a ride?"

"Sure."

* * *

"Hi, honey," Andy greeted his daughter when he got home. Delia did not look happy.

"You were supposed to pick me up from Emily's house at four. No one answered at home and Emily's mom had to drive me hope at 5:30 because they had to go out."

Andy looked at Ephram. Ephram held his hands up in surrender. "I'll be upstairs."

Andy sat Delia down and struggled to fill her in. Delia rolled her eyes when he kept on telling her things like 'just run' and 'yell for help as loud as you can' and 'if anyone's been bothering you, I want you to talk to us'. Delia understood what her dad meant, it just embarrassed her to talk to her dad about it.

* * *

Ephram called the Abbot's the next day.

"Hello?" Bright answered.

"It's Ephram."

"Hey, look, I don't think you want to come over today."

Ephram raised his eyebrows even though Bright couldn't see him.

"Amy's not in the best of shape and-" Bright took the phone away from his mouth. Ephram could hear some short dialogue. "Right, I've gotta go and hold her hair while she pukes."

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine."

"Tell her I called."

"I will." Bright said.

Ephram hung up and trudged up to his room. He ended up watching TV for the rest of the day.

* * *

"Was that Ephram?" Amy asked as he flushed the toilet and slouched against the wall.

"Yeah," Bright said. "He wanted to check in on you."

"Uhg, I don't want him to see me like this."

"That's what you have me and Dad for."

Amy ignored this comment as her father appeared in the bathroom doorway. It almost broke her heart how much they cared for her.

"Here, take a sip of 7-Up."

"I don't want to."

"Come on, it'll make you feel better."

Amy complied and after a few minutes she had to say that it did help settle her stomach a bit.

"Thanks," Amy said as she handed back the still nearly full glass. Bright and Harold helped her into bed.

When Harold left the room, she said, "Bright, can you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Could you get me Mom's pillow?" Bright looked hesitant but retrieved the pillow without a word. Amy pressed it into her face and inhaled deeply. "Smell it."

"That's okay."

"Come on, smell it." Amy insisted.

Bright grabbed the pillow and pressed his face into it like Amy had and inhaled. It smelt like the shampoo used to use when she had hair to wash. Bright held Amy as she cried herself to sleep on Rose's pillow.


	3. DELIA

Chapter 3

Delia was watching TV the next morning. Andy had just left to go into the office. Ephram was still snoozing upstairs. Delia couldn't find anything on TV but she busied herself by flipping through the channels. The doorbell rang. Delia waited for a second to see if Ephram woke up and would get the door. He didn't come down. Sighing Delia went to the door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"UPS delivery," the man called through the door.

Delia looked through the window to confirm what he said. She was more cautious ever since her talk with her dad yesterday.

"I need a signature for a package? Is you're dad home?"

"He's busy."

"You can sign it."

Delia opened the door and signed the form he held out. But instead of handing her the package, he reached over and grabbed her hand firmly.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Delia panicked.

"Come with me," he ordered. "Let's go for a walk…"

He was pulling her, grabbing at her waist.

_Yell for help as loud as you can_, her father's words rang in her head.

"HELP! EPHRAM! EPHRAM!" she screamed before a hand clamped down over her mouth.

"Oh, now I'm mad," the man said. "You shouldn't have done that."

Delia gulped, terror clenching at her heart.

* * *

Ephram woke with a start. 

"EPHRAM!" he heard a faint scream. He though that he was still dreaming.

But then he heard it again, and he could hear the panic in the high pitched voice.

Ephram raced down the stairs in a frenzy. When he saw the door ajar, he looked out to see a man bothering some girl. No, not just some girl. _Delia_.

Ephram started running again. "GET AWAY FROM HER!" he bellowed. The man released Delia in his surprise and started to run, but Ephram was already tackling him to the ground, his momentum giving him more force. Ephram could swear he was seeing red spots. He started to punch this guy repeatedly, pure hatred sending each punch harder and harder down on this guys face. The man finally flipped Ephram off of him and started to run. Ephram chased him halfway down the block before he stopped as he watched a bus turning a blind curve. The guy didn't see the bus. Ephram had his eyes closed but he heard a collision and the bus screeching to a stop.

When Ephram dared to open his eyes, he saw the man sprawled out on the ground, blood surrounding him, lifeless. Ephram walked back to his lawn in a trance. Delia ran into his arms and they collapsed to the soft grass. Ephram cradled Delia as she sobbed into his chest. Ephram clutched onto his baby sister as if he feared she'd disappear.

"I'm sorry," Delia moaned into Ephram's chest. While Ephram wanted to comfort her, say that she has nothing to be sorry about, his throat was like long sheets of sand paper. All he did in response was hug Delia closer to him.

* * *

Andy rushed through the doors into his house. He freaked when Ephram called him up. It was so much like a repeat of their phone conversation two days earlier. 

"Delia!" he shouted.

"We're in here," Ephram shouted back. Andy followed the voice into the living room. Delia was cuddled into Ephram on the couch, and a few police were standing around.

"Dad!" Delia jumped up and ran into her father's arms. She burst into tears.

Andy held her closely, clamping his eyes shut. "What happened?"

Delia tried to talk but she was such a sniffling mess that she couldn't put two words together.

"We suspect that the same man who raped Miss Abbot was the same one who attempted to take Delia," Andy recognized the male police officer, Bryant, for the hospital. His partner Olivia stood next to him.

"Your son tackled him and the man ran into an incoming bus." Olivia said.

"Is he?" Andy asked.

"Yes," Bryant said. "He's dead."

"His name was Dan Hurwin."

Andy didn't know what to do with the name. "Are you sure this is the same man who raped Amy?"

"We can't be sure," Bryant said. "Until we compare the DNA."

"The results will come in five hours. We can notify you when we find out if you would like that."

"Uh, um, yes, thank you officers."

The officers left and the Brown family was left alone in silence.

* * *

"What were you thinking," Andy asked. "You shouldn't open the door if I'm not home. You should have gotten Ephram." 

"Dad," Delia sobbed. "He said he was a delivery man, he was wearing the uniform, and…"

"That doesn't make any difference. You should have still gotten Ephram or told him to come back another time."

"Dad, lay off," Ephram barked at his father.

Andy looked as if Ephram had just slapped him. "What did you say?"

"Just leave her alone," he said as Delia ran to him. He picked her up and she wrapped her arms and legs around him like she did when she was small. "She's been through a lot and she doesn't need you yelling at her."

"I was not yelling at her."

Ephram gave his father a look.

"Delia?" Andy asked his daughter.

Delia looked away from him and Ephram carried her out of the room.

Andy sank into the couch, and his head dropped into his hands. _Oh, God. What did I do to deserve this? I should be comforting my daughter and now she won't even look at me…_ Andy did what he rarely did outside of his bedroom. He sobbed.

* * *

After a couple of hours, the door bell rang. 

"Amy?" Andy said when he opened the door. Amy and Bright stood there. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard about Delia," she said as though that was enough. It was. Andy let her in.

"Couldn't really stop her," Bright said.

Andy nodded.

"Delia?" Amy knocked softly on Delia's room. Amy came in when she heard a 'come in'.

"Amy?" Ephram said, sitting up.

"Bright told me about what happened."

Ephram couldn't believe this. Amy could be at death's door and she'd come and help her friends if she could help it. It reminded him of when Rose came in a wheelchair to talk his father out of leaving Everwood.

"Hi, Amy," Delia said, suddenly shy.

Amy tilted her head toward the door. "Oh, right," Ephram said quickly, getting up to leave. He gave Amy's hand a quick squeeze on his way out. "Thanks," he whispered.

Amy climbed onto the bed next to Delia when the door closed.

"I'm sorry about what happened to you," Delia said.

Amy tilted her head. "That's what I was going to say to you."

The two girls giggled a bit.

"Can I ask you something?" Delia asked.

"Anything."

"Is it stupid for me to be so upset about this?"

"Of course it isn't."

"I mean, he only tried to grab me. But you…"

"Listen to me," Amy put her hand on Delia's. "He might have done the same thing to you if Ephram wasn't there."

Delia nodded her head slightly, slightly scared by this thought. "You don't blame him for not saving you, do you?"

Amy flashed back to Ephram's words she thought about while she was being raped. _The thing is that I'm here for you. I love you. I'll do anything for you._ Amy shut her eyes to shut the memory out.

"No," she said. "I don't blame him."

* * *

"That's pretty cool," Bright said. "Like, being able to save her." 

"I don't even want to think about what would have happened if he had taken her."

"Don't man."

"Why is all of this shit suddenly happening?"

"I don't know."

"I mean, this is Everwood. Since when do you get 3 life-altering tragedies over a period of 4 days?"

"Dude, just don't jinx us."

* * *

The phone rang that night. 

"Hello?" Andy answered.

"Mr. Brown, this is Officer Bryant."

"Yes?"

"We called to notify you that the Dan Hurwin who tried to take your daughter is, indeed, the same man who raped Amy Abbot."

"Um, thank you officer. I will let their family know."

Andy hung up the phone and dialed the Abbots.

"Yes?" Harold answered.

"It's Andy."

"Oh, hi Andy."

"It was the same guy."

"The one who…?"

"Yes."

There was a slight pause on the other line.

"What was his name?"

"Dan Hurwin."

"Thank you, Andy… for everything."

* * *

Amy turned off the TV when her father walked in. 

She smiled at him. "Hey."

"Hi, honey."

"What's wrong?"

"So they found the guy who did this to you."

Amy looked at her hands. "Is it the same guy who grabbed Delia?"

"Yeah. Bastard died before he could suffer."

Amy looked up at her father in surprise.

"At least it's over. We can gain some closure."

"Yeah," Harold said to the wall. "Closure."

* * *

Ephram was exhausted. The last few days have been so hectic, he was so drained of energy from the lack of sleep. Ephram was fast asleep on his pillow.

* * *

Delia was fitfully sleeping. She kept on imagining what happened to Amy. She dreamt that she was Amy being raped and now she had a face to match the attacker. Delia sat bolt upright in her bed panting. 

She laid back down and tried to fall back asleep. She couldn't. She got up and scurried down the hallway and crept into Ephram's room.

"Ephram?" she whispered hesitantly. She nudged him a little, but he snored on.

"Ephram," she whispered more urgently and nudged harder. He didn't wake up. He only shifted over in his sleep so his back was too her. She blinked away desperate tears.

"Dad?" she asked into her father's room.

Her father shifted and eventually sat up to look at her.

"Delia?" he murmured sleepily.

"I had a bad dream."

"Climb in," he said soothingly, lifting up the covers and scooting over to the other side so she could climb in.

"Thanks," she whispered. Not five minutes later was she peacefully sleeping.

* * *

"Harold?" 

"Andy?" Harold asked into the phone. "Please don't tell me something else just happened."

Andy gave a sad chuckle. "No."

Harold sighed with relief. "Thank God."

"I thought that it would by logical if we were communic- I just have to blow some steam with someone who understands."

Harold waited silently. "Doesn't it just make you're blood run cold? Just thinking about it?"

"Like it was stuck in a freezer in Antarctica? Yeah."

"Exactly."

"I feel so cheated. That man died a quick death. He didn't learn a thing. If it were left to us to punish him…"

"I know. We try to give our children faith and show violence is not the answer…"

"But we can't take our own advice," Harold finished for him.


	4. HANNAH

I'm sorry for the delay.

Chapter 4

"I'm back," Hannah called into the seemingly empty house. "Finally," she added silently to herself.

"Hannah?" Nina's voiced questioned from the living room. "Is that you, honey?"

"Yeah," she said, tired. "Hey."

Hannah plopped down on the couch on her stomach.

"Do we have anything to eat?" Hannah's mouth was slightly askew because of the leather pressing into her face.

"Actually, Hannah, I need to talk to you about something."

Hannah sat erect in the couch. Oh, no. Too much has happened in the last few days, I don't see what else God can do to them.

"What? What is it?"

Nina sat at the edge of her chair. She looked as though she were preparing to tell a kid Santa didn't exist. Her knees were locked together and her elbows pressed on the top of her legs while she rubbed the palm of her flat hands together. When she found the right approach to use, she clasped her hands together then pressed her palms into her knees as though trying to wipe off sweat to hide her nervousness.

Hannah waited, prepared to spring out of the house and over to the Abbots' or the Browns'.

"Please say something."

"Hannah, your mother called me this afternoon." Hannah waited, widening her eyes to hurry the news out already. "Your father has been sick for quite some time and-"

Hannah took in a sharp breath. "No," she said to herself.

"I'm sorry. The doctors said that he didn't suffer at all."

Nina waited hesitantly. Hannah's mouth hung open and her throat muscles contracted as if to gag but she suppressed it. Nina watched as Hannah squinted her eyes as though trying to read the fine print of her words. Hannah stood slowly, in a daze.

"Hannah...?"

"I-I'm sorry Nina," Hannah forgot what she had been planning to say halfway through her sentence. She barely felt her feet moving slowly moving beneath her. She had no idea where she was going. She had no plan.

* * *

Nina ran after Hannah.

"Hannah!" Nina called after her loudly. "Hannah!" Hannah walked to the curb. Nina's breath caught, as she feared that Hannah would step out into the street, intentionally or not. "Hannah!"

But Hannah did not step of the curb. She found herself in front of the trash cans set out for tomorrow's pick up. So she kicked it. It barely budged, so heavy with garbage. Hannah glared at it and kicked it again.

"Hannah!" Nina screamed at her. "Hannah, stop!"

Nina was right behind her, wrapping her hand around Hannah's torso to pull her from the trash cans, literally bringing Hannah off her feet. But Hannah was too far gone.

* * *

Ephram pulled on his jacket and said goodbye to his father and Delia. He could barely stop hugging her after what had happened yesterday. Ephram planned on buying some corny flowers and a box of chocolate and heading over to Amy. They'd all had enough of tragedy, they could use a day to be happy and romantic. Or at least try to be.

Ephram closed the door behind him and immediately his head whipped over to the left at the sound of the commotion. Nina was behind Hannah trying to physically drag Hannah away from the trash cans she was desperately trying to destroy. Her legs were kicking at air and her body thrashed as she tried to free herself. Ephram was shocked at the sight of Hannah having an actual tantrum.

Nina, having spotted him, called out to him. "Ephram! Please help me, I can't control her." Ephram ran over, pushing aside any questions he had and assisted Nina in taking over the raging Hannah.

"Let go of me!" she shrieked at them. "Put me down! _I hate you_! I hate you, I hate you!"

"It's okay, Hannah," Nina soothed, using a hand to smooth Hannah's hair affectionately. "It'll be all okay."

Hannah stopped struggling but held her body stiff. Ephram could tell that it was taking a lot of effort on Hannah's part of keep still and to slow her breathing down.

"Can we let you now?" Nina asked Hannah.

Hannah nodded her head and closed her eyes. Nina and Ephram released Hannah from their grasps slowly, preparing to grab her again if it was necessary. Hannah took two deep, shaky breaths. "I need Bright."

Nina and Ephram looked at each other. "I'll take her," Ephram volunteered. "I was going there anyways."

Nina nodded and Ephram led Hannah to his car. When he tried to steer her with his arm around her shoulder she shook him off her quickly. Ephram didn't dare open his mouth the whole way over to the Abbots'.

* * *

Bright opened the door.

"Hey guys!" he greeted them happily. "What-?" but his words were cut short when Hannah put herself to him. She kept her arms clasped across her chest protectively but her forehead pressed into his warm chest and her body leaned trustingly into his. Bright was somewhat surprised and greatly unnerved but wrapped his loving arms around her. He looked into Ephram's eyes when he heard her sniffle into his chest.

"I don't know what happened," Ephram said honestly. "She was freaking out and throwing a tantrum."

Bright turned his attention back to his girlfriend. "Hey, hey," he said soothingly. "What happened?" He grabbed her easily by the shoulders and pulled her away from him so that he could hunch his shoulders and look into her eyes.

"Can we go somewhere?" she managed to get out.

"Sure," Bright said and led her back outside.

"Should I?" Ephram interjected unsure.

Hannah shook her head no so he stayed inside. Bright led Hannah down to his car and he drove her to the high school. Hannah didn't say anything so she let herself be led to the field area and sat down next to Bright under a calm area situated under an old oak tree.

"What happened?" Bright asked. His love for her overpowered his emotions. She had been there for him countless times, he'd be damned if he let her down.

Hannah couldn't trust herself to look into his eyes and waited until her breathing slowed. "My dad..."

Bright thought about her father's illness. "He's not...?"

Hannah nodded, her eyes filling with tears.

"Hannah..." Bright's heart went out for her. He engulfed her in a loving hug. Her father is dead. He couldn't think of anything to say. Hannah had known exactly what to say when his mother died and Amy was... And now she lost her dad and he couldn't think of anything to say.

Bright turned to nurturing, rubbing her back and stroking her hair. Hannah stiffed suddenly, which he did not expect.

"What?"

Hannah shifted so that he dropped his hands. Her head dipped low and her arms were again folded across her chest. She was soon curled into the fetal position and rocked back and forth.

"Hannah...?" Bright eased slowly. He trailed a loving finger across her hairline, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. She flinched when his fingers contacted her flesh. Her eyes were startled and she looked as though she were remembering something from long ago.

"Hannah?"

"It's not just that..." Hannah tried to get out the words. She started daggers into her knees. He listened patiently. "It's not just my dad's death."

"What is it?"

"When I was little... he used to..." Hannah rocked herself again. "Do things... to me."

Bright couldn't breath. He couldn't think. He had no control over his body.

"Wh-what kind of things?" Bright heard himself asking even though he desperately wanted not to hear the answer.

Hannah put her head to her knees to hide her embarrassment. "It used to be just gazing and... lingering touches and..."

FLASHBACK

"Hannah baby," her father called from the family room. "Come in here."

Hannah walked over to the family room. "Is Mom home?"

Her father smiled. "No, it's just us. Here, I wanted to surprise you for your 7th birthday next week but I couldn't wait. I want you to take a look at this."

Her father presented her with a wrapped box. Hannah squealed from excitement. "Can I open it here?"

He nodded and Hannah ripped at the wrapping. At last she produced a silky dress from the box. Hannah gasped. "Oh, Daddy, it's so pretty!" And it was. It was a pale green dress that was sparkly like the ones they wear at the Oscars. Her mother would never buy her a dress like this one, saying that it's way to short and that it shows too much skin.

"Try it on," her father urged.

Hannah smiled and got up to run to her room.

"You can change in here."

"Daaadddd..."

"Hannnaaahhh," he mocked back. "I'm your father, there's nothing that you have that I haven't seen."

Hannah blushed as she ripped off her clothes quickly.

"Whoa, Hannah," her father exclaimed. "Come here. What is that?" He looked at her crotch area like there was something wrong.

"What?" Hannah asked her father urgently, concerned. Did she have a bug on her? Maybe she had a rash and she was sick and would die.

Hannah's father touched her hip and she jerked suddenly. "Shh, relax." He trailed his finger down to her foot and then back up the inside of her thigh as she squirmed. He cupped her hairless crotch and moved his hand back and forth a bit.

"Dad!" Hannah did not like what her father was doing. She didn't like the feeling she was feeling. A million senses she never knew she had fired up all in the area of her crotch.

Her father finally removed his hand. "Good," he said, sounding relieved. "For a second I thought that you had an infection, but you don't."

Hannah wasn't sure if she could trust her father. She supposed she should, after all he was her father. She just overreacted is all.

"Well, don't just stand there naked," he said, almost scolding. "Try on the dress."

Hannah slipped into the dress, feeling silly. But she couldn't help but notice how he took his time in zipping up the zipper in the back and gazing at her in a not quite affectionate way.

"You look stunning," he said. He patted his lap, "let's watch some TV together." He let her control the remote but his fingers seemed to make its way to the skin on her thigh just under the hem of the dress, causing her to wiggle on his lap, and that, he seemed to enjoy very much.

END FLASHBACK

Hannah gasped as she brought herself quickly to the present.

"Hannah?" she heard. She turned her head and saw Bright. "Hannah, are you okay? You stopped talking for like, minutes."

And then she collapsed into a sobbing heap next to Bright.

* * *

Bright loaded them into his car and started the ignition. "Take me to Nina's."

Bright looked over at her. "You sure? I mean, maybe if you talked to Amy about-"

But Bright followed her order by her shake of the head.

* * *

Bright knocked gently on the door.

"Hannah?" Nina answered.

Hannah pushed herself past Nina's open arms and scurried up to her room. Both Bright and Nina winced when the door slammed.

"Thank you for taking care of her..." Nina thanked him while he saw straight though her comment to her unspoken question.

"I can't really tell you what it is, but I can say that it's more than just her father's death."

Nina smiled gratefully at him although he got a sense that she desperately wanted to wring his neck for with holding information from her.

"Bye, Nina," Bright quickly excused himself and sped back home.

* * *

Bright sat in the idle car outside his home for several minutes before getting out and slamming the door. He slammed the front door with a verbal grunt. He whipped off his jacket like it assaulted him and threw it viciously down on the small table. Harold looked up from his newspaper with a nervous face.

"Bright?" He questioned. "Is everything alright?"

Harold stormed into the living room and snatched the newspaper which was still propped open in his fathers arms. He tried to rip it down the middle but ended up getting a quarter of the newspaper torn off. This only served to infuriate him even further. His father looked, if anything, scared.

"No, Dad," Bright growled at his father. "Everything is not alright."

Harold straightened in his chair. He knew is was walking on egg shells.

"I don't get it," Bright raged. "What's the point of our being here, of living, if all that happens in life is bad things?"

"Now, Bright..."

"You don't find it the least bit odd that four women, girls, whatever, that we love with our lives have been ripped apart by God's hands?"

"I, uh... f-f-four?"

"Hannah."

"Hannah?"

"Yes, Dad, Hannah," Bright leered at his father. "Hannah's father is dead."

"That's so... tragic?"

"Tragic? Oh, Dad. After what he did to Hannah, he got more of a free pass than he deserved."

Harold's eyes widened. After what he did to Hannah... That couldn't mean... Harold couldn't imagine any father do something like that.

"B-Bright..."

"There you go. All emotional father crap. I can't take it right now, Dad!" Bright shouted at his father in a tantrum. Bright hissed his next three words with such venom in his voice, Harold felt a knife stab into his heart. "Fuck... you... Dad..."

Bright stormed up to his room and slammed his door so hard that it didn't latch and he slammed it again to close it.

* * *

Harold was still sitting in his chair, his eyes were still wide and his mouth still hung open. He inhaled deeply through his nose and commanded his muscles to move. He stood up and crouched down to open the cabinet under the sink. He pushed aside all of the cleaners and reaching into the back. He grabbed the kitchen towel and wiped the bottle free of the dust and spider webs that accumulated around it.

He uncorked the bottle and poured himself a healthy sized glass. He raised his glass to the dark sky outside.

"Rose, glad you left when you did. Hopefully you aren't watching what's happening to us." And with that, he lifted the scotch to his lips and guzzled away six years of sobriety.


	5. EPHRAM

I know that I haven't updated and all but i would also apreciate some suggestions from readers. Remember the general theme is tragedy not recovery... And if you can't tell already, I'm not much for a romantic.

* * *

Amy called Ephram.

"Hello?" Andy answered.

"Oh, um, hi Dr. Brown."

"Amy?"

"Yeah, can I talk to Ephram?"

"Well, I thought that he was with you. He left an hour ago."

"Umm, oh." Amy bit her lip. "Well, I'm sure he's fine. I'll call when he gets here if you'd like."

"I'd appreciate that."

Amy said goodbye and hung up. That was 10 AM.

* * *

Ephram left the coffee house carrying two steaming cups of coffee in Styrofoam cups. Halfway down the block he bumped into someone. The loose lids came off and scalding hot coffee poured onto a young man.

"Oh," Ephram coaxed. "God, I am _so_ sorry."

The man did not seem to hear him. After recovering from the initial shock, he lifted his eyes to glare at Ephram. Ephram did have to admit that his heart did seize.

"You gonna be sorry, bitch." The man gave a whistle and soon Ephram was surrounded by four men in their mid twenties.

Ephram dropped the cups and took a step back. "L-look, I, I don't want to cause any trouble."

The man who seemed to be the leader let out a harsh laugh. "You hear that boys? He doesn't want any trouble." He acknowledged Ephram. "I'm in no mood to compromise. My girl wouldn't give me any pussy last night and my boss fired me. Said I ain't treat'n the customers with respect."

Ephram walked back until he felt brick wall against him. They were about five feet into an alley with garbage bags piled up. Ephram tried to talk himself out of this. "Look, I understand that you're mad and and may-maybe, um, I could g-get you a job? Violence is not the answer."

The leader pulled out a pocket knife. "I don't like being talked down to." The three other men took their cue and jumped Ephram.

* * *

Amy looked at the clock again. It was now 1:30 and Ephram hadn't shown. She decided to call Andy again.

"Ephram isn't here," Amy said after introductions were made.

Andy sighed deeply. "I'm gonna call the cops."

Amy's heart skipped a beat. "You-you don't think that…"

"I'm trying not to think."

* * *

Ephram woke up and realized right away that he was not in his room. For one he was on cold cement and the air was slightly clammy.

Ephram groaned when he sat up. He touched his face but his skin felt raw and burned at the contact.

"Kid's awake," Ephram heard. He turned his head in the direction of the voice but he couldn't see anything in the darkness of the room.

There was some shuffling and the sound of something metal being placed in front of him.

"Eat," the voice commanded.

Ephram slid the tray closer to him but his eyes hadn't adjusted yet to the darkness. He didn't dare speak so he felt the food with his hands. He felt a hamburger wrapped in paper from a fast food restaurant and a small fries. He felt around some more but he did not find a drink which is what his throat craved.

The fries were cold but he ate them in silence. He wasn't sure when his next meal would be. When he finished, he slid the tray away and sat there trying to figure out what he could remember. He remembered the fight but that was it. He was probably unconscious when they brought him here. Wherever here was.

"Where am I?" His voice sounded hoarse.

After a minute of silence he wondered if anyone was even there.

"I can't tell you that," the voice replied.

"Why am I here? Is it money? Is that what you want?"

"A.J. doesn't tell me his plans," he said. "But, yes, money is probably part of it."

Ephram though sadly of his father. How he with have to gather a great sum of money for his son to be released.

"When can I see my father?"

"That is enough questions for now."

Ephram turned away from the voice and laid down on the cold hard cement. He used his arms as a pillow and pulled the hood of his sweatshirt up to protect his head from the cold. His teeth chattered but he did not ask for a blanket. He cried himself to sleep.

* * *

Harold and Amy came over for Andy.

"I'm sorry, Andy," Amy said, giving him a hug, calling him by his first name.

Andy returned her hug and embraced his friend.

"Thank you for coming over."

"So, what's being done?" Amy asked.

"They're running his picture on TV but no one's spotted him."

"As long as you don't give up hope," Harold said.

* * *

Ephram ate the food on the tray as was now routine. They were now giving him water. They were actually feeding him well. Like he was at home. Most of it was leftovers. Sometimes they heated the food.

After he was finished, Charles, the man who was supervising him, the one he met his fist day there, spoke. "We're contacting your father today."

Ephram's heart leapt with hope.

"You are to write the note."

Ephram was surprised. "Me?"

"A.J.'s orders. You know the cop'll run the note for prints."

Ephram understood. Charles handed him a closed package of notebook paper, box of pens and box of envelopes. All closed and sealed. Ephram understood. He opened all of the packages and used the tray as a writing surface.

"What can I write?" Ephram asked him.

"We will read it so be careful what you write. Do not write our names, any clues about our location. Tell your father that he must supply $2 million by the end of tomorrow."

"_2 million_?"

"Quiet," Charles ordered. "He will go to the park and leave it under the bench in a grocery bag. No cops or the deal is off."

Ephram looked down at the blank paper and sobbed.

* * *

Four days have passed since Ephram was missing. Everyone was walking on egg shells around Andy. Delia locked herself in her room and Amy had to let Bright take care of her. Harold was back to drinking and did little to hide it.

The cops were flooding their home. Andy went of the mail box to get the mail. Immediately the police confiscated it from his hands. They leafed through it and pulled out an envelope.

"We've got it."

Andy looked up. "Ephram?"

They were careful to extract the letter with their gloved hands to later dust for finger prints. Andy put on a pair of latex gloves and read it.

_Dear Dad,_

_I know you're worried about me but they are treating me well and feeding me well. I cannot tell you where I am being held because I do not know where I am. My captors do have told me to tell you what follows._

_You must supply $2 million by the end of tomorrow. Bring it in a grocery bag and leave it under the park bench that is in the shaded area of the path. You are supposed to 'forget' it there and leave the park and go home. If there are any cops involved, I will not be released._

_I know this is a lot of money but I need your help. Please help me Dad._

_-Ephram_

Andy sank into the couch.

"What is it?" Harold asked.

"They want $2 million. By tomorrow."

"This is Everwood. That is not easy money."

"I know that. But he's my son… I'd die for him."

* * *

Andy was on the phone with the bank. After a heated argument he got the supervisor on the phone. He hung up the phone and retreated to the others.

"The mortgage on the house gives me $750,000. Since Ephram's not going to college, that give us 250,000."

"That's only 1 million," Amy said.

"And the second million will be harder to get," Andy said.

Amy looked to her father. "I'm not going to college. We could you that."

"What if you do go to college?" Harold interjected. "Even if it's in a year?"

"I'm not going. And I have to help Ephram."

"You don't have to do that," Andy said. Harold nodded vigorously.

"Yes I do."

Harold sighed. "Give me that phone, I'll call the bank."

* * *

So far they had gathered $1.55 million with the house mortgage, and the college tuition money of Ephram, Amy and Delia. Harold and Amy went home to see if they could find anything of value at home.

Once Bright heard the situation, he got on the phone and called around.

"No, we are talking _surround sound_," Bright demanded into the phone. "The TV is a 36 inch." Bright listened for a while into the phone. "No, that is not enough," he said before slamming the phone into its cradle.

"How much were they offering?" Amy asked.

"100 thousand."

"That's pretty good. You got it for 21 thousand."

"It's not enough."

Amy sighed. She picked up the phone and started calling people they knew.

"Anything that you could provide would help a great deal," she told the woman on the phone.

"Um, thank you very much." She hung up the phone. Looking up at her brother she said, "50 bucks. That'll help."

Amy moved to the patient list her father got for her. It was a list of all of Andy's and Harold's patients.

"You know," Bright commented. "You should probably call the ones that Andy helped the most first. You know, they might be a bit more supportive if Andy saved their life or whatever."

"Good point," Amy said and looked though the list. There was one woman who's daughter attempted suicide and Dr. Brown saved her. It looked promising.

"Hello, is this Mrs. Thompson?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"My name is Amy Abbot and I'm calling on behalf of Dr. Brown." Amy smirked at her own words. _Calling on behalf_.

"I know him."

"We are trying to gather as much donations as we can to help his son."

Amy was trying to be as vague as possible. "What's wrong with him?"

Amy sighed. "He's been taken and there is a 2 million dollar ransom for his return."

The woman sounded flustered. "Oh, I couldn't possibly imaging what the poor man is going through."

Amy talked to her a while more and then hung up. She grinned at her brother.

"How much?"

"A hundred thousand. From a woman we don't even know."

"Nice. Keep on calling."

* * *

Amy called Andy.

"I've called around and in donations alone we got $150,000."

"Wow," Any breathed. "Who'd you call?"

"Mostly your patients who were happy to help out. Most of it was from a Mrs. Thompson."

"That's good."

"And Bright got $200,000 off of his entertainment system."

"Now that's impressive."

"I know, it's a lot."

"Not just that. I mean, it was like his baby."

Amy chuckled. "Well he'll have some parting issues but he wants to help out."

"I appreciate it."

Amy smiled and hung up.

* * *

Harold called Andy the next morning.

"Harold, hi."

"I sold Rose's jewelry."

"Harold, you didn't have to do that."

"I did. She'd have wanted that."

Andy sighed. Rose was probably up there right now in heaven poking Harold and telling him she wants to help too. "How much did you get for it?"

"$75,000."

Andy's heart leapt. "So we only need 25 thousand more."

"Glad to help," Harold said and hung up.

* * *

Nina was rushing around the house, pulling out drawers and checking cabinets. Hannah told her last night about Ephram and she was determined to help.

Nina was crouched down and reached under her bed and her hand touched a small wooden box. She gasped excitedly and pulled out the small jewelry box. All of her jewelry was cheap except for this. She opened the box carefully and pulled out the small piece of silver. She smiled.

* * *

Nina ran next door and caught her breath while she waited for Andy.

"Nina?" Andy said when he opened the door.

"I found it. My mother's ring." She held it up as proof.

"Nina, I can't accept this."

"Andy I'm not proposing, I'm giving this as a friend."

Andy dipped his head in shame.

"We need $25,000 more."

Nina nodded. "I'll be back with the money in a few hours."

And she left before he could even say thank you.

* * *

Andy drove to the park alone after insisting no police be following him. He looked shakily to the clock. 5:45 PM. He hoped that this would work. He parked the car and got out, acting nonchalant and strolling though the park with a grocery bag hanging loosely beside him.

Andy sat on the bench his son told him to. Andy was unsure of what to expect. Andy set the grocery bag full of the money under the bench. It was in a paper bag inside of plastic bag so that the money could not be obviously seen by any passerby.

Andy busied himself by searching though his pockets. He put on a bit of a show looking at his watch and realized he was late for something. He got up and walked away, leaving behind the money. Andy didn't dare look behind him but he did look ahead of him and he didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Andy sighed and continued home like the note instructed and waited.

* * *

Andy finally called it a night and went to bed. The following morning he waited with his friends and the police but nothing happened.

"Sir," Officer Wilson said. "It isn't time to panic. There have been many cases where the kidnappers keep the victim an extra day or two."

"Don't tell me not to panic," Andy said through clenched teeth. "Give me that," he growled at Harold who was openly drinking a beer. Andy grabbed the bottle and threw it across the room. Everyone flinched at the sound of the clatter.

Nina placed a comforting hand on Andy's shoulder. He shrugged it off as graciously as he could muster and walked slowly out of the house.

After a bit, he looked up at where his feet were leading him. The garage. Ephram's studio. Andy opened the door with a squeak of the hinges. He opened the door to a baren room. Devoid of Ephram's passion because he sold his music equipment to run away. Andy locked the door, laid face down on the floor and sobbed like a child.

* * *

Ephram waited but there was no indication that they were letting them go.

"Charles?" Ephram asked.

Charles grunted a response.

"Did my dad not get the money in time?"

"He did."

"W-Well why am I still here?"

Ephram could hear him lean back in his chair. He could feel his smirk radiating across the room.

Charles gave a harsh chuckle the Ephram though they only did on TV. "Kid, that was only part one."

* * *

Andy drifted to sleep:

_They were in a cold room. It was dark. Like a dungeon. But you could still see what was going on in the room._

_Ephram sat in a wooden chair, bound by ropes. There were at least five beefy guys standing in front of him._

"_Ephram," Andy called out. Andy ran over to his son, touched him. He saw his hand meet his son's flesh, but there were no senses. He couldn't feel anything. He son appeared as though he couldn't see him at all. "Ephram, I'm here."_

"_Let me go," Ephram begged the leader of the men. "Please. You can have anything."_

_The leader smiled. "I know. And I will."_

* * *

Charles was ordered out of the room and five men piled in.

"Strap him in," A.J. ordered. Two men came forward and transferred Ephram to a wooden chair. Ephram was too weak for malnourishment to fight back. They stopped feeding him two days ago. Charles did slip him a slice of bread though. Ropes were tied around him and if he had the energy to try, he wouldn't be able to move.

"Let me go," Ephram begged A.J. "Please. You can have anything."

A.J. smiled mischievously at him. "I know. And I will."

"You got your 2 million."

"And for that I am grateful. But I feel like I could use… more, you know? So we're gonna have to send daddy a little photo to encourage him."

A.J. laughed and nodded his signal to the men behind him. "Boys, let's have some fun."

* * *

"Andy!" There was pounding on the door. Andy woke with a start and was confused for a moment when he found himself in the empty garage. Andy opened the door to an out of breath Amy.

"What?"

"We've… got… a letter," she panted.

Andy raced to the house. Andy put on the gloves handed to him and opened the envelope. The first thing he pulled out was a Polaroid that made him want to purge.

He stared at the severly beaten version of his son. Several bruises claimed his face and crusty blood formed at his nose and the corner of his mouth. His skin was pale and his hair clung to his face with sweat. But what pained him the most were the eyes. His son stared blankly into the camera with compassion. His son knew he would see this.

Andy handed it to the police officer and read the note. It was typed this time.

_Sorry to mislead you. That was only the first part. We will let your son go._

_For a price._

_We will accept a swap. We will give you the boy. If you give us his girlfriend. If she accepts, she will board the 10 PM train tonight going to San Belle. We'll see her in the last car of the train._

_If not, the boy received the same beating featured in the picture each night for one week. Then, he's as good a dead._

Andy looked up from the letter with a sickening feeling. He barely made it to the toilet before he emptied his stomach.


	6. EPHRAM 2

Ephram started to come to with a pounding ache in his body. He groaned and tried to shift positions, but he was still tied to the chair.

"Mourning, kiddo," Charles greeted him. If he wasn't holding him hostage, Ephram would probably like the guy. "Does it hurt?"

Ephram closed his eyes. "What do you think?"

"I figured so. Which is why I snuck you some Tylenol."

Ephram looked at the man through the dim light. Charles walked over and showed him two Tylenols as proof. Ephram opened his mouth and let Charles feed it to him.

"Thanks," Ephram said. "That'd better be extra strength."

Charles laughed good-heartedly. Ephram thought it was an odd relationship between captor and victim but he didn't mind. Charles was able to give him a glimmer of hope. It was ironic actually.

"Listen," Charles dropped his voice to a whisper. "Now you didn't hear this from me, but I figure if I got anything of an honest man left in me, I'd tell ya what I'm about to say."

"Okay."

"A.J. sent another ransom note. Along with your picture. Only he ain't ask'n for more money."

"What then?"

"Your girlfriend."

Ephram gapped at him like a show on mute. "_Amy_?"

"I'm sorry, kid. I really am."

Ephram shook his head. "She won't do it."

"She might… When she knows you got a week to live if she won't."

* * *

"You are not going!" Harold shrieked at his daughter. 

"I know," Amy retorted. "But Ephram's gonna die."

Harold proceeded as if he hadn't heard her.

"Over my dead body are you to even consider trading yourself for him."

Amy threw a pillow at him. "He'd do it for me!"

"Oh, and I'm sure he wants you to be in his place, huh?"

"Shut up! I know I can't go! Just shut up!"

"Don't yell at me!"

"You're drinking again! What would Mom think!"

Harold looked as though he'd been slapped. "Don't you dare speak about your mother like that!"

Amy screamed into the air and stomped up the bathroom. Bright came out of his hiding spot and followed Amy at a distance. He watched in horror as she snatched a bottle of sleeping pills off the shelf of the medicine cabinet.

"Stop," he said as he wrapped his arms around her torso to pull her away, fully expecting her to fight back, which she did.

"Let go of me!" She shrieked. She dropped the bottle and several pills scattered across the tiled floor. Bright pulled and tugged and heaved her out of the bathroom. Bright carried her to her bed and let her down clumsily onto her bed. She scrambled around like a frightened mouse in a small room with a cat.

"Amy, stop," he begged her, despair in his voice. "You're scaring me."

Amy ran over to the windows and yanked at the blinds. She tore the covers off her bed. Ripping open her closet, she started yanking out clothes.

"Stupid clothes. Careless. We were all so careless. Who cares about some missing kid? As long as it's not someone we know, who cares, right?" She started to pull out drawers of her dresser and flipped them upside down on the floor.

"Please," Bright pleaded his sister. "Please, Amy stop it." Tears were streaming down his face as he watched his sister destroy herself, and he could do nothing but beg. "Your scaring me."

Amy picked up the scissors.

Bright panicked. "Put the scissors down."

Amy went over to the mirror above her dresser and brought the scissors to her hair. "I hate myself." _Snip_. "Dad's drinking." _Snip._ "Mom's dead." _Snip_. "I was raped." _Snip_. "Ephram was kidnapped." _Snip_. "Now they want me." _Snip, snip, snip._

Amy gasped as she looked at her reflection. She dropped the scissors and brought her hand shakily to her head. She patted around in disbelief. Jagged edges met her fingertips. Her hair was five inches in some parts and two in others.

She looked at her brother in the mirror. He was crying is despair. He looked frightened. Frightened of her. And hopeless. Amy's lips trembled and she turned quickly. She thought about falling into her brother's protective arms, but she realized that they weren't so protective after all. He couldn't protect her from this. Amy ran out of her room and ran to the kitchen. She went for the phone.

"Amy?" came her father's concerned voice. "Amy, what happened to your hair?"

Amy sobbed at the sound of her father's words but she kept her back to him and dialed the phone.

"Hello?" the person answered.

"H-Hannah?"

"Amy? What's wrong?"

"Can you pick me up?"

"Of course. I- I'll be right there."

* * *

Hannah picked Amy up who just climbed in without saying anything. 

"What happened?" Hannah gaped at Amy's hair.

"Just drive. We'll go to Andy's but, just drive for now."

"Sure."

* * *

The door banged open. Ephram and Charles snapped their heads over to see A.J. 

"Pack your bags, we're going out."

* * *

Amy walked into the Browns' house. 

"Andy, I'm sorry. I can't do it."

"I wouldn't let you."

Amy looked at the clock. 9:30 PM.

Andy looked at her like a father would. "You're not going." Andy stroked her hair, keeping his comments to himself. He had a feeling he knew what happened already.

"Amy, you have to sit down. You have to have faith. I think we might get Ephram back."

Amy looked at him. "What?"

"They have FBI agents in the train car that they specified in their note right now. At 10 P.M., in half an hour, Ephram will be on that train."

Amy looked at Hannah as though not sure she should believe it will work. "When will we know… if it worked?"

"They'll call as soon as they get him."

Amy bit her lip and embraced Andy like a daughter would a father.

* * *

"Come on," A.J. hissed into his ear. 

Ephram didn't want to get on the train. He felt odd out in public. It was bright and no one recognize him.

Ephram sent a prayer that Amy will not be on the train. They boarded the train and it was empty save for a few sleeping homeless. They sat near the door. Amy's stop is the next one. That gives him about a thirteen-minute wait to send silent messages to her to send her away from the station.

"Bet you're excited to see your _girlfriend_," A.J. sneered at him.

Ephram looked at his hands and intensified his telepathic messages. He couldn't imagine what A.J. would do to her. Actually he could and the thought made him sick. He looked up as the four homeless people sat up slowly in unison.

A.J. tightened his grip on Ephram, sensing a trap. "Stay back."

"FBI," the female one said. She pulled her gun, as did the three other. "Let the kid go."

A.J. stood up, bringing Ephram up with him. He whipped a knife out and brought it to Ephram's neck. The four homeless/FBI agents took a step forward.

"You just made a big mistake," A.J. snarled. Ephram sent a pleading look to the female agent.

A.J. increased pressure on the knife. Ephram leaned further into him to avoid the knife. He closed his eyes and prayed. Then he heard the gun go off.

* * *

Andy flustered when the phone rang. 

"H-Hello?"

"We got him. He's alive."

Andy closed his eyes and lifted his face to the ceiling in a silent thank you. "Can I talk to him?"

"He's being taken to the hospital."

"Thank you… so much."

Andy hung up. "He's safe," he announced. Amy embraced him again.

* * *

Andy waited outside his son's hospital room. They wouldn't even let him in until the police interviewed him. He finally saw the Officer Wilson exit the room. 

"He's pretty shaken up," the man informed him. "You can see him, but don't expect much."

"Thank you, officer."

Andy and the man shared a strong hand shake.

Andy walked in the room and gave a weak smile. "How you holding up?"

Ephram shifted in the bed to sit up. "I've been better."

Andy took the seat next to him and reached for his son's hand. "I'm so happy to see you alive."

Ephram wouldn't meet his eye. "I'm sorry about the money."

"Don't worry about it. Hey, now you can tell everyone you're worth two million bucks."

Ephram shared a smile. "Good pick up line, huh?"

"Chicks go for that kinda stuff."

Ephram gave a chuckle. "Is Amy here?"

Andy nodded. "I'll go get her."

Ephram watched his father disappear out the door and soon Amy came in. Something was different, it took Ephram to figure it out. The hair.

"What happened?" He asked, pointing to his own hair to indicate.

Amy touched her hair. "I guess I wasn't in that good of a mood. You scared us." She came to him and sat next to him on the bed. He scooted over for her so she could lay down with him.

"I'm so glad you didn't get on the train."

Amy nuzzled into him. "It feels so good to hold you."

Ephram turned her head with his hands. Amy rolled her eyes up to look him in the eyes. Ephram smiled at her. She smiled in return and crawled up a bit so their noses were inches apart. Amy looked into his eyes and pulled away.

"Amy?" He questioned.

Amy burrowed her head into his shoulder and felt hot tears flow from her eyes.

Ephram sighed. "I know."

They both cuddled, knowing they couldn't go back to their carefree romance. They were both wounded.

* * *

The nurse loaded Ephram into the wheelchair two days later. Andy took over and wheeled his son down the hall. Ephram could see the smiling faces of his friends, his sister, his girlfriend, and half of the population of Everwood waiting outside for his discharge from the hospital. 

Ephram smiled up at his father.

Andy looked straight ahead but he wore a bright smile as well. "Come on, son," he said. "Let's go home."

* * *

If you've read this far into the story it's only a courtesy to review. ALSO, this will be considered the ending _if_ I don't get more reviews _and_ suggestions for more chapters. Like I mentioned before, each chapter is a tragedy not a recovery (well, I guess this chapter is a bit of a recovery chapter). So this is either farewell or just the begining, it's up to you...  



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